Texas A&M baseball is looking to return to the College World Series for the second time in three years, and it will look to do so by relying on one of the nation's top players: Braden Montgomery.

Once considered a highly touted draft prospect out of high school, the No. 66 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline in 2021, Montgomery honored his commitment to play collegiately at Stanford. The gamble played out in Montgomery's favor, as he earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American honors in 2022.

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His draft stock continued to rise his sophomore year at Stanford, where he hit .336 with 17 home runs and helped lead the Cardinal back to Omaha, Nebraska in consecutive seasons. While still not draft-eligible after his sophomore season, Montgomery took another gamble in his development by transferring to the SEC and Texas A&M — another risk that has favored Montgomery. He has become one of the nation's top players and fielder's with the Aggies this year. He is MLB Pipeline's No. 8 prospect for next month's MLB draft.

Montgomery has shown more power in his swing and plate discipline this season at Texas A&M, which has gotten the attention of draft analysts and scouts. On top of drawing a career high in walks (52), the switch-hitter has hit a career high in home runs (27) while putting up a career-best .733 slugging percentage.

Come next month's MLB draft, which is set to be held at Fort Worth Stockyards as part of MLB All-Star Week, the Aggies outfielder is in line to become the highest-drafted A&M player, in history as he is currently projected as top-10 first-round pick. The only question that now remains is: Where will he go?

Here's a look what here Montgomery is expected to go in the 2024 MLB Draft heading into the Bryan-College Station Super Regional this weekend:

Braden Montgomery MLB Mock Draft

• MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo (as of May 30): No. 4 to the Oakland Athletics

• Baseball America (as of May 31): No. 9 to the Pittsburgh Pirates

• ESPN's Kiley McDaniel (as of May 8): No. 7 to the St. Louis Cardinals

• Bleacher Reports' Joel Reuter (as of May 30): No. 9 to the Pirates

• The Athletics' Keith Law (as of May 15): No. 9 to the Pirates

Braden Montgomery MLB scouting report

Here's what MLB Pipeline has written up on Montgomery, according to his MLB draft profile:

"Montgomery had more of a hit-over-power profile in high school but that has reversed in college. A switch-hitter with strength and a quick, aggressive stroke from both sides of the plate, he does more damage as a lefty hitter and his plus power plays to all parts of the ballpark. He has improved his plate discipline and his ability to handle breaking balls during the last two seasons, but he still swings and misses at pitches in the zone a bit too often and will chase non-fastballs.

"With average speed and plus-plus arm strength, Montgomery fits best in right field. As a pitcher, he can reach 96 mph with his fastball and miss some bats with his low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup. His lack of control and command limit his effectiveness, however, and he has a much higher ceiling and floor as an outfielder."

Peter Flaherty of Baseball America highlighted the rise in Montgomery's draft stock has come from his growth at the plate during his lone season at Texas A&M. Here's what Flaherty wrote on Montgomery a few weeks back on Baseball America:

"Braden Montgomery has thrived during his time in College Station. He has emerged as the best hitters within a loaded lineup to the tune of a .333/.476/.778 slash line with 14 doubles, a career-high 24 home runs and 77 RBIs. The 6-foot-2 switch-hitter has an athletic operation in the box with plus bat speed from both sides. However, Montgomery is noticeably better from the left side as he has a .348/.465/.830 slash line compared to just .283/.466/.604 from the right.

"On top of his plus power, Montgomery’s hit tool has shown consistent improvement each year and he has the best arm of any position player in this year’s draft class. Even though he is on the outside looking in when it comes to being the national player of the year, Montgomery has positioned himself as a likely top-10 overall pick this July."

Braden Montgomery stats

• Career: .317 batting average/.644 slugging percentage/.428 on-base percentage, 228 total hits, 199 RBIs, 184 runs scored, 109 total extra-base hits (44 doubles, 61 home runs and four triples) and 17 stolen bases

• 2024 season: .322/.730/.455, 81 RBIs, 74 hits, 64 runs scored, 26 home runs, 14 doubles, five stolen bases and one triple

Montgomery's first season in College Station has been one of his best seasons in college thus far. The Aggies' right fielder is hitting .322 on the season, which ranks second-best in his career, with a career high in RBIs (85) and home runs (27).

He has also played for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod League — the nation's premier summer college baseball league — each of the last two seasons. Over the span of his two seasons on the Cape, Montgomery hit .292/.487/.379 with 33 hits, 31 RBIs, five doubles, five home runs and a triple.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Braden Montgomery MLB draft mock, scouting report for Texas A&M baseball star